Storage-battery-ventilating system



C. C. KING.

STORAGE BATTERY VENTILATING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-5, 19w. RENEWED JAN. 16. 1922.

1,41 6,214. Patented y 16, 1922.

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STORAGE BATTERY VENTILATING SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED SEPT-5,1919- RENEWED JAN. 16, 1922.

Patentd May 16,1922.

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STORAGE BATTERY VENTILATING SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED SEPT-5, 1919. RENEWED JAN. 16, 1922.

1,416,214. Patented May 16,1922.

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I my result by arranging a casing in the vent QFFICE.

CHAR-LES GLIITAIN KING, 0F BRIDGEPOR-T, CONNECTICUT, ASSIG NOR TO THE TORPECDO BOAT GOIVI'PANY, OF BRIDG-EPORT, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

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STORAGE-BATTERYVENTILATING S-Y Specification ('6 Letters Patent. I Patented fliay 16, 1922-,

Application filed September 5, 1919, Serial No. 321,863. Renewed January 16, 1922. Serial No. 529,745.

apparatus to enable the attendant or'other member of the crew to ascertain at a glance whether or not the apparatus'isproperlyworking and the battery-cells and batterycompartments are being ventilated.

As is well known in the submarine boat art, storage-batteries are I employed for power for various operations of the boat and for propulsive power whenoperatingconr pletely submerged or when the exhausts fromthe engines are closed, and that dynamos are employed for rechargingthe batteries, and as is also known gases are generated in the cells especially when the several 1 elements thereof are excited at the time of.

re-charging, hence -making it necessary to draw oif such gases and ventilate the cells and the cell compartments. The present method employed for drawing ofi the gases is by means of suction pumps, or by suction fans or blowers, and in order to test the functioning of the apparatus and whether or not fresh air is being drawn into the cells and cell compartments it is the present practice to place a cloth over the intake end of the air supply pipe. and if the cloth should be drawn into the pipe then the attendant will know that air is passing through the This method, however, is inconvenient since the intake end oftheair pipes seldom open into readily accessible places.

By my invention I seek to overcome the abovestated objections and I accomplish tube or pipe leading from the battery-compartment between the latter and the suction fan or pump and in arranging a damper in the said casing havinga contact adapted to engage a series of contacts in electric circuit therewith, and in the arrangement in an elec tric light in circuit with each of the series of contacts, so that, when the fan, pump, or;

circuit with the damper terminal and with the electric lights whereby to indicate the positionof the damper and the resultant velocity of air passing through the cells and the cell compartment. I

The invention comprises certain novel features of construction and peculiar combinations and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter fully described and then claimed. I i r I In the drawings, illustrating the invention, in the several figures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure l, is a diagrammatic sectional elevation" of a battery-compartment: and battery-cells arranged therein, illustrating my invention. Fig. 2 is a side view of a section of thevent pipe leading from the compartment illustrating the casing carrying the damper and its coacting terminals, the face plate of the; casing being removed. Fig; 3 is a longitudinal section of the same illustrating in dotted lines the various positions of the damper. I -drawn on the'line tk4' of Figs-2 and 3.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section Fig. 5 is a wiring diagram-of the construction illustrated in Fig. 1 Fig. 6 is a wiring diagram illustrating a construction whereinnone of the lamps are lighted when the suction fan or pump is idle, irrespective of-the movement of the damper. Fig. 7 is adetail of construction. I o

l designates a battery-cell compartment having a series of battery-cells2 arranged therein in the usual manner. Extended.

through the top of the cell compartment cover adjacent to one end thereof is an air inlet pipe 8 which may be arranged to open through the main hull of the boat and which is provided with an air inlet port't opening;

into'the main hull, and operatingfupon the plpe 3 is a sleeve valve 5 adapted for closing the said port, the said valve being locked in either position for opening or closing the port by means of: a et-s rew as h n. a r

g iaienia either a suction fan or pump or to a blower I as shown at 8 in Fig. 1, and between the la with a series of perforations 15 so as to permit a slight draft of air to pass through the vent pipe 6 without disturbing the position of the damper.

The shaft 10 is extended through one side of the casing 9 and carries an arm 16 having a conducting bar 17 provided at its ends with brushes 18 and 18, respectively, one of which, 18, is held in constant engagement with a segmental conducting plate or bar 19 carried by an insulating block 20 secured to the outer face of the casing 9, while its be noted that the brush 18 is wide enough oo-acting brush 18 is designed for engagement with a plurality of contacts 21, also carrled by the insulating block 20, and it will to span the gaps between the contacts so as to engage two of them simultaneously. The arm 16 and its associated parts are enclosed casing 9 and has its outer face closed by a in a housing 22 formed on the side of the plate 22 as, shown.

The'conducting bar or plate 19, is con- I nected, through a conducting wire 23 with wire 25 from each light is connected a common conducting wire 27 extending from the opposite terminal of the battery, so that,

when the conductor of the arm 16 is in contact or engagement with any one or two adacent, contacts 21, the circuit between the particular light or lights will be completed "and the light thus lighted. A switch 28 is arranged in the circuit so as to make or break the same at will.

16 engaging the contact 21, (furtherdesig- In the operation of the apparatus, so far as described, when the fan or blower is at rest the damper will hang in a substantially vertical position with the brush of the arm n'ated by the reference character a), then When the fan or blower is set in motion the damper 9 will be swung on its axis as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, thus causing the brush 18 of the arm 16 to be moved across the face or" the contacts 21 to light the lamps, thus indicating the relative force of air passing through the vent pipe 6, it being understood, that the damper is moved by the force of the air current passing through the vent pipe.

In practice I purpose to have the fourth lamp, designated d, with a redglobe so as 'to enable the attendant to easily detect the fact that a full and complete ventilation of the cells and compartments is taking place.

In Fig. 6, I show an alternative in the wiring of the apparatus and which is so arranged that none of the lamps may be lighted unless the fan or blower is in motion. This is accomplished by taking the lighting current from the same line switch which supples current to the fan or blower motor, so that when the switch is closed to start the motor the lamp circuits are simultaneously closed.

It will thus be seen that I provide an exceedingly simple apparatus for the purpose described and whereby the attendant may ascertain the functioning of the ventilating apparatus without extra work and which avoids possible danger of the exhaust from the vent pipe being closed, since it is obvious that shouldthe exhaust be closed the current of air drawn or forced through the pipe would be insufficient to disturb the arm.

It may be stated, that while I have shown the damper casing located in the vent 0r off-take pipe between battery-compartment and the blower, it is obvious that it may be located in the pipe between the blower and the discharge end of the pipe.

I claim 1. In a storagebattery ventilating sysv tem, a vent tube, means for causing a cur rent of air through said vent tube, a damper arranged in said tube, and an electrically operated indicator associated with said. damper for indicating the posit-ion of said damper.

,2. In a storage-battery ventilating system, comprising a batteryscompartment,and storage-battery-cells mounted therein, a vent tube extending from said battery-compartment and communicating therewith and with said cells, means for causing a current of air through said tube, a damper arranged in said tube, an arm carrying electric contacts operable by said damper, and electric lamps in circuit with said contacts and adapted to be lighted through the movement. of said damper.

3. In a storage-battery ventilating system, comprising a battery-compartment, and storage battery-cells mounted therein, a vent tube communicating withsaid battery-compartment and with said cells, means for k causing a current of air through said, vent In testimony whereof I have hereunto set tube, a damper arranged in said vent tube, my hand this 24th day of August, A. D. 1919. an arm carrying e ectric contacts 0 erated by said damper, conductors associatd d with CHARLES GLIFTAIN KING said contacts, a battery in circuit with said Witnesses:

contacts and said conductors, and electric E. Gr. GALLAGHER,

lamps in said circuit. GEO. MANN. 

